the kiss cam..

As he decided to call it a day, a familiar ring tone.

He smiled widely.

"Ro!!!Splash! My GOD. U were cooking them. Ur were in the zone."

Abby excited to the max. Her voice can tell it all, she is really excited.

Rome who is down lately because he felt grown apart from each other became alive.

"Haha. Just lucky. I did what u told me in practice so its ur fault. Hehe"

Abby touched the hair of Amy and made whisper hand.

"Haha. Glad that u dont forget. Hehe. Ok just checking. See u later. Win or lose!! Ur so good already. Congrats!"

She downplayed again.

Cut off the convo quickly.

Rome is nodding his head.

"Thank u Abby. Good night."

Rome kinda felt a deep sense of loss.

How about the long convo of just chatting and talking and laughing?

The call was just a perfunctory call.

No emotions.

"Perhaps there's no chance at all, right? fuck!!!!!!!!"

He cursed himself.

He should be happy now.

But no.

Such self pity. Ughhh.

"He should be so surprised, right? hehe" Abby giggled and hugged Amy.

"For sure. Abby, how can we bring Amy inside the arena? It would be so loud for her."

"Aunt, I got a headphone. I just want to see his face seeing us there."

Ana is anticipating the surprise Abby threw for the finals.

Chicago can go to hell.

She will go to Rome and watch his game.

Fukkk football.

She also came at his home for the suggestion.

Ana jumps too.

Voila. They will go tomorrow.

Abby made coffee from the coffee maker she and Rome got.

"Abby?" Ana said solemnly.

"Hmm? Whats wrong Aunt?"

Ana smiled. "How's ur relationship with Rome? Is he giving u a hard time?"

Abby laughed a little.

Hard time is understatement when a guy big and tall like Rome got low eq or has just cold feet or lips, whatever.

All the fucking signs are there already.

And the guy still moping around and feeling self pity.

Got no mamba mentality.

Just like she said when she got him from practice to dinner...pussy.

Or asked what he will do about it. No action all talk.

Its frustrating for her even.

Gathering her thoughts, she sat down.

"I had, hmm, my eyes, right eye, blinded for good amount of months. I cant see. Took two surgeries to make me see." Abby sipping her coffee.

Ana listens.

"Coming into this semester. Depressed and practically lost. My dream to become a pro volleyball player cut off, I was on the team, Rome saw it, but I was not there mentally."

"Glass eye. I heard those words a lot. And I felt alienated. Shut doors and even windows."

"Often I get a lot "She's Jeff's daughter", it was fine but glass eye? Pointing to my darkest times? My mental health got affected. I got depressed. No one really seen or noticed it. Im a good actress, I think." She smiled widely.

"I grew up with an athlete father and just want to be like him. But that got cut off from me, as u know."

"Hmmm." Ana nodded with gusto.

Back story is needed for Abby.

"Then one night. I saw this fat guy with dirty clothes and there's even blood on his head, I didn't ask why because he mesmerized me at that moment. It was Rome that night in May."

She laughed and even remembered the look of Rome's eyes.

The mutual attraction.

She thought.

"I said to my self, "Damn. What is this fat ass on? Why is he so good? And his form is awful but makes his shots.".

She only knows people like those are in Oakland and Portland.

"I gotta make this guy play in Gramps team. Sure win. Maybe he already on the team?"

While having internal monologue, she is witnessing barrage of shots of Rome with no miss.

"He just took me by surprise. hehe.. I remember that I hated to get up so early but the guy won't stop sending me mails at 4am. Sending the photo of the sun at 4am in Los Angeles. He is legit crazy." She laughed.

Ana laughed too.

"In time, he made me wake up and get up early. Made me go to the gym and become healthy again. Started talking not just basketball or volleyball."

"Seeing him pursuing his goal and I see him lost weight. I began to consider what to do next."

"I see Rome becoming better and better. I said to myself, why not do it too? Become better."

Abby breathe out.

"Got time to recollect and found my other dream, journalism. So I pursued it."

"I am still pursuing it now, Aunt. I will be working in big networks. U will see me on Tv too. hehe"

"I saw u in San Diego Prep Abb. Ur already taking ur first step."

"Yeah? hehe" She smiled happily.

"So, yeah. Been flying here and there. But my relationship with Rome grown apart. I was pursuing it so hard that I lost some in my way. Me going to see the championship will be a redemption for me. Just wanna make it right."

"Plus, he will not purposely miss anymore, maybe. hehe"

"Hahahaha. Thank u Abby." She hugged Abby.

Ana is a mother but first she is a woman.

She can tell if Abby is playing or otherwise.

This case, she is otherwise.

Next day. Finals day. Game night.

The New York Times dubbed the game today as "The most eagerly awaited championship game in years."

Duke and USC NBA alums in the building.

Hollywood celebs are also on the court side.

"Boys! One moment. Let this be our moment. After this game, we are immortalized. And how do we do that?!" John pep talk.

"WIN!!!!!!!" They roared they're lungs out.

"Thats right. Win!"

"And how do we win!?"

"TOGETHER!!!!!"

"Go go go!!!!!"

"Lets win it all guys!!" Rome shouted at the end of the tunnel..

The team are in high spirits for the shoot around.

He started to do his pre game routine.

Shot from the official's table and at the logo.

His eyes on the court-side.

Expecting some miracle the Abby is there.

He seemed to be tired now.

But nothing.

He breathe hard and dropped the ball.

"Whats wrong, man?" Simmons asked because Rome is off this last two days.

Rome shook his head. "Nothing. Just thinking of the speech receiving the trophy later."

"Hahahaha. Are u sure u get to talk?"

"Hahahaha"

"Heads up Splash!"

A shout from the baseline.

He turned because the voice so familiar.

There she is.

Abby who is wearing his jersey.

She waving at Rome.

Then Ana an Amy.

Amy by the way have ear phones, so that the noise will not hurt her ears.

He quickly came up to them.

"Mom! Abby. Amy. U guys."

He is speechless.

He hugged Ana.

"Hehe. This is not my idea. Abby came back to LA and got us. Hehe"

"Haha. Really?" He looks at Abby having his jersey.

Abby hugs him tightly and then just kissed him on the lips.

She smiled silly.

"Ur just too slow Ro. And u really think I will miss ur championship game for Chicago? Please."

The camera caught the kiss.

"Woooooooh!!!!!!"

CHEERS!!

WOOOHOOOOH!

The people in the arena cheering for them.

"Ro, win or lose. " She winks at him. This time, a different meaning.

"Have u seen me lose? Haha." He winks at her too.

Abby smiling so wide because she knew this game already on the bag.

Game officially starts.

USC vs Duke.

Jump ball.

Rome is checked by Misson Plamleey. 2 inches taller than Rome.

Game plan for Rome is to wear this guy down by running around.

They won't let him run around because he will rise up the moment he gets the chance and he is so fast that the receive and rise up is in one motion.

This is what Coach K has in his report given to the team.

"Hey." Rome hand shake.

"Good game." The two gave respect.

"Luck 40x"

"Bad Luck 20x"

No bad blood. He does not want this guy to be injured.

peeeeeep!